Who: Jocelyn and Sage When: Afternoon, Monday, January 15 Where: Sage’s place Status: Complete
It was difficult to nail down a time to visit Sage. They both worked at the busier bars in town, and Jocelyn hadn’t wanted to go into Dragonfly to try and talk to Sage while he was working. It wasn’t the time or the place. But she knew he had Sunday off, so she made a point to text him that she was going to come over and bring some lunch for both of them. It had felt like a while since she had been able to catch up with Sage and Jacob, staying in touch mostly through texts, and after what Nate had told her about Sage’s moods, Jocelyn wanted to talk to him face to face to make sure he was all right.
So Jocelyn ordered a pizza and picked it up from Dino’s on her way to Sage’s. Hopefully he would want to talk about whatever it was going on with him, if it was something. In this town though? It probably was.
After she found a place to park, Jocelyn carried the pizza up to his door and knocked quickly. She had been back in Point Pleasant for a while now, but the chill in the air made her miss California.
It felt like things were finally looking up for once, even if Sage couldn’t say exactly why he felt that way. He’d had a great day at work yesterday and had come home so wired that he’d stayed up and written a new song for the band to try out later that afternoon. It was rare that he wrote anything on his own, but he’d been feeling so inspired that the music just flowed out of him. When he woke up that morning, he’d gone out to run errands and it just felt good to be alive for once. It was his day off, he was having lunch with Jocelyn, and with a jam session scheduled for later it was shaping up to be the perfect day.
He’d just finished cleaning up when Jocelyn arrived and he hurried to the door, running his hands through his still damp hair before letting her in. “Hey!” He grinned, offering to take the pizza from her as she stepped in out of the cold. “Come on in! This smells great. Thanks for picking it up!”
Jocelyn handed the pizza over and turned to shut the door before starting to tug off her gloves and coat. "You're welcome. It feels like we haven't talked in forever! Other than on text messages, anyway." She followed Sage, trying not to stare too hard at him. He looked happy and healthy enough, and she doubted she would find anything really wrong just by looking at his face. "How have things been? What have you been up to? I mean, please don't say work. I need to know you have something resembling a social life outside of Dragonfly."
“Okay, um, I’m getting together with the guys later today to try out a new song I wrote,” Sage said as he tried to think of what he’d been doing the last few days. Working at Dragonfly was great for his wallet, but horrible on his social life. It ate up his weekends and made it hard to date, though that area of his life had been empty for a while now, except for a few failed attempts here and there. His reputation didn’t make dating easy, as he was sure Jocelyn could relate now that she was home. Though he doubted it would be that hard for her; she had her looks going for her, whereas Sage felt lacking. “Things have been okay. I’m just really trying to keep busy. We’ve got a gig next month that you should come to, but that’s really it.” He didn’t sound down about it though. Having a show to play at was always exciting enough that it made up for his lack of a life. “What about you? Anything new going on?”
"That's something though," Jocelyn pointed out. "And I'll definitely go to your show. Just let me know when it is so I can make sure I have the evening off. I'll get Jacob to come with too. He probably needs to get out of the house as much as I do." She sat down and brushed her hair back behind her ears as they got ready to eat. "I've mostly been working, which I realize I told you not to say in response to the same question. But other than that, I've been trying to clean up the place I'm renting. I've seen Nate a couple of times." She grabbed a piece of pizza and glanced at Sage. Spending time with Nate was something she had been doing, but it was also connected to what Nate had said about Sage, so it seemed like the right topic to choose right now. "He came over for brunch on Sunday."
“It’s totally not his kind of music,” Sage said with a little laugh. He wasn’t sure it was Jocelyn’s type either, but he appreciated them coming out to support him. They hadn’t seen him play formally since high school and that was nothing like playing a real show. “My boss ‘Nate’?” Sage asked as he went to the kitchen to grab them drinks. It felt a little early for beer, so he grabbed sodas instead, all while pondering Jocelyn hanging out with his boss. There was no doubt in his mind that that what who she’d meant, despite the question. “So are you dating? Or, just like, hanging out? Cause he’s definitely hot.” He just wasn’t all that sure how he felt about Nate hooking up with Jocelyn. It also sent up a red flag, a notice that things that happened at work might not stay at work.
It might not be Jacob's kind of music but she knew he would go anyway. That's what friends did for each other. She took a bite of food and watched him, trying not to appear too observant. He really did look pretty normal, and she wondered if his behavior at work was just a side effect of stress or something. "Um..." She wiped her mouth with one of the napkins and shrugged softly. "I think maybe somewhere in between? We haven't really been out on a date date, but he came over for food and we had a good time." She didn't think it would be nice to talk about how they'd had sex up against her foyer wall. "But yeah, he's definitely hot. And he's interesting, so that's a bonus to all the hotness. You two get along, right? I don't want it to be weird for you."
“Yeah, yeah, he’s cool,” Sage said with a nod, but his knee began to bounce as his nerves began to manifest physically. “Kind of keeps his personal life to himself, so I don’t feel like I really know him, but he seems like a good guy. I mean, he hired me and not everyone wants me dealing with customers, you know?” He’d meant because of their past, but thoughts of the recent incident cropped up to and Sage made a face. “He didn’t… He didn’t say anything about me, did he?” He asked, cringing. “I kinda exploded at him the other day.” Just thinking about it made him twitchy, uncomfortable with how he’d behaved, but unable to explain it. All he could think of was that he’d just been having one really bad day.
Jocelyn nodded, because she could understand that. The Lucas brothers were her bosses, but she didn't know them very well and she was totally fine with that. There were lines at work she didn't like crossing, and she was sure Sage felt the same way. Jocelyn figured she could opt for surprise and pretend she didn't know what had happened while Sage was working, but that felt silly and dishonest. She knew he might not like that Nate told her, but she and Sage were friends, and it felt like Nate was just looking out for Sage by mentioning it. "He did tell me," she admitted after a moment. "But he said it wasn't like you at all, which it isn't. So I wanted to ask you if everything was okay."
Sage took a breath and looked up at the ceiling, his nervous energy beginning to skyrocket. He didn’t like this at all, that Nate had told Jocelyn, but mostly that it had happened and he couldn’t explain it away. Things had been weird lately, some days he’d felt off, but he couldn’t say why. “I dunno,” he sighed. “We all have bad days, but it was like, like this one was spectacularly bad. Everything seemed to piss me off. I just--I just lost it.” Sage stood, needing to pace, unable to sit still now that the topic had changed to one that upset him. “I thought he’d fire my ass. I would have, if I was him. He probably thinks I was on drugs. I know the cop did.”
"I don't think that's it," Jocelyn said, watching Sage now as he began to pace. She hadn't meant to upset him, but if there was something going on, maybe she could help. She could at least listen. Sage had been through a lot, getting hurt in the fog and everything. Jocelyn just wanted to make sure he and Jacob were doing all right. They were really the only friends she had in this town. "He seemed worried about you, not mad. I'm worried too, if something's going on. Has something happened? Have you been feeling any better since then?"
“Yeah, I’ve been feeling fine. Great even. Sometimes. Sometimes not,” Sage frowned, realizing how off that sounded now that he’d said it aloud. “I just mean, I’ve had some really shitty days, but none like that, but I’ve also had some really good ones. Today’s been good so far. Other times it’s like… like I’m exhausted.” It really did sound like he was on drugs when he said it like that, but he hadn’t even been getting high lately. He scrubbed a hand over his face, frustrated by his own unexplainable mood swings and his inability to see them when they were happening. “I dunno. Maybe--maybe it’s like PTSD or something.” It didn’t sound like it, but he was grasping at straws, hoping something made sense.
It didn't sound off to Jocelyn. It sounded normal, really. Everyone had good days, and bad ones. But she knew that Sage wasn't the type to lose his temper, especially at work, so there could be something more going on. "That could be it. You've been through a lot, and you got hurt pretty badly in that fog. Are you feeling okay physically? Did you ever get your injury looked at?" If it had gotten infected she was sure Sage would have known by now. But if he was still in pain or something, that could sometimes trigger bad moods in people. She knew when she wasn't feeling great, even with a cold, she tended to be irritable.
“No, it just kind of went away,” Sage said, itching at the place where the scar remained. “I was going to, but it was practically gone the week after.” He knew that wasn’t good, except it was good. He didn’t want to be in pain for weeks, to deal with stitches and sensitive skin, so he’d called it a win, even when he knew that wasn’t how the human body worked. “You think maybe that thing, like… infected me? That I’m having some kind of reaction? I’ve had a few days where I was really tired. Like I thought I was coming down with something, but then it never manifested.” Was it possible that he was sick? Fuck.
"I don't know," Jocelyn admitted, her expression apologetic. "I mean, it's not like that fog was normal, right? And whatever that thing was, it hurt you. You know how dogs have to get rabies shots? I'm not saying it's rabies, obviously, but what if the thing that hurt you was... I guess, poisonous for lack of a better term. Maybe you should go see a doctor. Get some blood tests, just to rule out an infection of some kind." Would an infection mess with Sage's moods? She didn't know. But it could be why he had been feeling so tired before.
The look Sage gave Jocelyn when she mentioned rabies was one of horror and panic, the comparison freaking him out even if he knew rabies was off the table. People died from rabies, and they went crazy first. Or was that just dogs. Sage wasn’t entirely sure, but he knew it was bad. “Fuck,” he muttered, sitting again as he rubbed his hands over his face, both legs bouncing now. “Okay, I’ll go to the doctor. Just in case. I mean, I feel great now, but--but if you think it’s worth it, I’ll go.” Hopefully it wouldn’t be too expensive and they could give him some peace of mind.
"You should go because you need to make sure you're all right," Jocelyn pointed out. She wasn't his mother so she couldn't make him do anything, but she hoped he would want to go if only to have a peace of mind about all of this. It could be absolutely nothing. Just a passing mood. Jocelyn hoped that's all it was. "With any luck it's nothing. But if it's something, at least you know and you can work out how to get better. One less thing to worry about in this stupid town, right?"
Sage knew she was right, even if he really hated the idea. It took a lot to get him to the doctor, like a scratch from some monster in the fog, and the thought of going back when he wasn’t in need of stitches didn’t appeal to him. But neither did worrying about this. What if he lost his temper again? He couldn’t lose his job. He needed it and he wasn’t the sort of guy that just anyone would hire. “Okay. Okay, yeah,” he nodded. “I’ll make an appointment. Just to be sure. I’m sure it’s nothing, but just in case.”
Jocelyn nodded, feeling relieved that he seemed willing to go. She didn't want to argue with him about it. "And you know if you need anything, or if you want one of us to go, Jacob and I will be here." She motioned to the pizza. "Eat some pizza or I'm going to end up eating it all and hating myself later." Jocelyn didn't want Sage to feel down, or anxious, or any of those things. But she definitely needed to make sure he took care of himself. They had been through a lot, and Jocelyn refused to let this town fuck with any of them anymore.
Eat. Right. Sage didn’t really feel like eating anymore, but he knew he should, so he took a seat and picked up a piece of pizza. “What if the doctors can’t do anything?” He asked, frowning at the pizza as if it was the cause of his problems. “What if there’s nothing physically wrong and I’m just, I dunno, losing my mind?” That was almost more frightening than some monster-based infection and, unfortunately, a lot more likely. It wasn’t just him losing his temper and getting arrested, but the things he’d seen. He assumed someone was fucking with him, but what if it was really just all in his head?
"You're not losing your mind," Jocelyn said quickly. "Don't even think that. Try not to think of the worst case scenario until you see someone. Then we'll go from there." She knew it was easier said than done, but she couldn't imagine worrying about losing his mind would make anything better for Sage. All Jocelyn could do was push him to see a doctor and then try to be there for him no matter what it was. "Whatever's happening, we'll work it out and get things right again."
Sage wanted to believe her, but it seemed far more likely to him that he’d finally started to crack. It would explain so much, even if it couldn’t be easily diagnosed by a doctor. But he knew she was right, too. There was no point in getting himself all worked up when he had no concrete evidence to go on. “Okay,” he sighed, allowing her to talk him out of winding up again. “You’re right. I just need… I need something else to focus on.” Otherwise he’d just keep going back to all the creepy, weird shit that had been happening around him.
"So we'll get you something else to focus on," Jocelyn said, picking at a piece of pepperoni on her plate. "You have your gig coming up. And I'll do my best to find fun distractions for you. Maybe we can get out of town soon. Go to Portland for the weekend or something." She had no idea if that was helpful or not, but Jocelyn would do whatever she could. She knew what it was like to worry and be concerned about one's mental health. God knows they had all dealt with that after what happened at the tunnel. Jocelyn didn't think any of them had walked away from that unscathed. Maybe with her and Jacob being back it had just triggered something in Sage. She didn't know.
“Getting out of here for the weekend would be fun,” Sage said with a little smile. “Even if it’s just to Bangor.” There wasn’t anywhere they could go to really escape the snow, but a change of scenery might be good for him. They could find a bar that neither of them worked in and just chill for an evening, then all go pile into a hotel room. It made him think of high school, prior to the tunnel. Everything had changed after that. “You think we could drag Jacob away from his doctor for the night?” He asked. While Jacob had stayed with him one night last week, that was only because Connor was working.
"I don't know. Maybe if he gets permission," Jocelyn said with a roll of her eyes. Then she sighed. "Sorry, that sounded bitchy. I'm sure Jacob would come with us if we ask him to. It feels like it's been a while since we all hung out together." She and Sage worked a lot, and Jacob had his job and his sugar daddy. She missed both of them, so Jocelyn decided to make it a point to get them to go out more often. "And Bangor sounds fun. I think we could all use a mini-getaway, right? I'll ask him."
“No, I think that may be a legitimate question,” Sage said with a tiny shrug. He thought he understood the kind of relationship Jacob was in, but also knew he probably didn’t have a clue. A part of him was curious, but he also didn’t want to ask invasive questions about Jacob’s sex life and he wasn’t sure where the line was. “I wish we could get away to some tropical island,” he said with a little smile. “Hop on a plane to Hawaii or something.” And never come back. If it was that easy, they’d have done it by now.
Jocelyn smiled. "Wouldn't that be nice." All they needed was a ton of money. But she was barely staying afloat as it was, working at the bar. "We'll find something fun to do," she promised after a moment of contemplation. "Soon, okay? But you have to promise to call your doctor first." A trip out of town would be his reward, as silly as it seemed in her head. At least they had a reason for getting out and enjoying life outside of Point Pleasant. This place really sucked the joy out of so many things. She honestly had no idea how Sage managed to stay in town this whole time. Jocelyn wasn't sure she would have survived it.
“Deal,” Sage said with a little smile. All he had to do was find out what was wrong with him and they could have a mini-vacation, just the three of them. He was both looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time. It was starting to seem like, no matter what it was, it couldn’t be good. Either he was physically ill with some unknown fog monster virus or he was sick in the head. Sage wanted to keep on pretending that things were okay but it was getting hard to manage. He could only stick his head in the sand for so long and it looked like that time was up.